Rotary toothbrush



1 :1 U Awn Aug. 10, 1948.

w. e. ROBEY ROTARY TOOTHBRUSH v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1945 a-0, 1948. w. G. ROBEY 2,446,955

ROTARY TbOTHBRUSH Filed May 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a I L:

IN V EN TOR.

Patented Aug. 10, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE ROTARY TOOTHBRU'SH.

William G. Robey, Grafton, W. Va.

Application May 28, 1945,, Serial No.- 596,157

4 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to a. rotary toothbrush.

An object. of this invention is to provide an. improved rotarytoothbrush embodying a resilient brush guard which may be shifted toexpose a portion of the brush by contact of the latter with the teeth.

Another object of this invention is to provide a rotary toothbrushembodying a handle having an electric motor disposed therein, with themotor connected to a switch structure having an opposed pair of switchbuttons protruding from the handle, so that the motor may be operated bypressing either one or both of the buttons inwardly.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved coupling orclutch between the motor shaft and the brush shaft, so that the motorand/or brushmay be easily removed for servicing thereof.

The invention consists of the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts. as will be more specifically referred to andillustrated in. the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an.embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes,variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall withe inthescope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a detailed plan View of a rotary toothbrush constructedaccording to an embodlment. of this invention,

Figure 2 is a detailed side elevation of the device,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on. the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View of the electric circuit embodied in thisinvention,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6 8 of Figure3,

Figure? is a fragmentary sectional view taken. on the line 1-1 of Figure3.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral Ill designates generally a housingof elongated corrfiguration which includes a lower housing member Hhaving a removable upper housing member 12. The upper housing member I2is detachably secured to the lower housing member l-ll' by means of afastening member l3; The upper housing member l2 which comprises a coveris formed with a rabbeted marginal edge 14 engageable with a rabbetedmarginal edge I5 formed in a cutout 16 in the lower housing, member H.

An electric motor generally designated as I? s mounted. within thehousing it), being secured therein with one or more fastening membersiii. The motor i? is a conventional electric motor which includes aframe l2 having a forwardly extending annulus 2'6 provided with threadsThe frame t9 has carried by the rear end thereof a pair of spacedcontacts 22 and 23 with. which a pair of contact members 24 and 25-,carried by the rear end wall 26 of the housing, are adapted to engage.The contact members 26 and 2E project from therear wall 25 and areadapted to be engaged. by a connector 21', which includes a ofconductors 23, for connection with a source of electric current supply.

The motor if also includes a shaft 2Z9 entending from theiorward endthereof with Which the rotary toothbrush, to be hereinafter described,is adapted to be detachably coupled. franc l1 includes an insulatedannular member 35. formed with an annular groove 35-. A of substantiallysemicircular resilient switch memhere 32 and 33 are secured in thegroove by fastening members 34 and 35 respectively. T e resilient orspring member 32 includes a contact 2L6 atone end. thereof which: isnormally disposed in spaced relation toa contact 31, carried by theadiacentend of the springmember 33.

The spring member 33, at the opposite end thereof has a contact. 38disposed inspacedrelation. to a contact 39 carried by the adjacentend'ofthe spring member 32'. The switch enibodying the two springmembers 32 and 33 is inter" posed in a conductor 40, which is connectedat one end. toone side of the motor ll, and at the other. end'i'sconnected. to spaced contact. 23. ifhe other side of the motor I T isconnected by means of a conductor 4!" to spaced contact member 22. Inorder to provide a means whereby the h may be selectively closed. I haveprovided a p ir of oppositely disposed knobs G 2; and t3. The knob 47'is slidable in. a boss 44 carried by the cover or upper housing, member[2,. and. the knob 42 has extending from the inner side thereof, av

stem 45. which is slidable through a plate carriedby the inner end ofthe boss i i. A spring. 41 loosely engages. about the stem 3-5 andconstantly urges the knob. or button outwardly. A split locking ring 48is disposed about the inner end of the stem45 and engages against theinner side of'the plate 4'5.

The knob or button 43' is slidable in a boss 49 disposed diametricallyfrom the boss 44 and has a; stem 50"extending from the inner sidethereof. Th'estem ifl'issli'd'abl'e through a plate El carried' by theinner end of the boss 49, and a spring 52 constantly urges the knob orbutton 43 outwardly. A split locking ring 53 is carried by the inner endof the stem 59 and limits the outward movement of the stem and buttonunder the tension of spring 52. Inward movement of either or bothbuttons 32 and 33 will effect closing of the electric circuit to themotor H.

The housing ID which is of insulated material has extending from theforward end thereof, a nipple 54 which is formed with exterior threads55 at the inner or large end thereof. The nipple 54 is of taperedconfiguration and has extending from the forward end thereof a tubularmember 56. A bearing sleeve 51 is loosely disposed in the sleeve 56,extending through the nipple 54, and has mounted on the inner endthereof a substantially conical member 58 formed with a threaded base 59engaging the threads 2!. The tubular member 51 is formed with a bearing66] at its outer end through which a brush shaft 6! rotatably engages.The brush shaft 6! is adapted to extend into a bore 62 formed in themotor shaft 29, and the brush shaft 6! is detachably coupled to themotor shaft 29 by means of a V-shaped coupling member 63 carried by aresilient bar M which is secured by a fastening member 65 to the shaft29.

The shaft 29 is formed with an opening 56 through which the couplingmember 63 loosely engages and the shaft 6! is formed With a V- shapedrecess 6'! for receiving the coupling member 63. The forward end of thebrush shaft 6i is provided with a head or anchoring member 68 which isembedded in a connector 69. The connector 69 engages the outer ends ofthe sleeve 56 and the bearing 51 and the connector 69 has also embeddedtherein the inner end of head It of a brush shank or stem H. The shankor stem H has mounted thereon a brush member '32 which is adapted to beengaged with the teeth for brushing the teeth upon operation of themotor ill.

A guard member generally designated as 13 engages partly about the brushl2 and includes a pair of parallel side wall members It and 75 which areconnected together at their forward end by a forward wall 16 of arcuateconfiguration. A bottom wall H connects the side walls and forward endwall together and the bottom wall 'l'l has extending rearwardlytherefrom an elongated supporting bar 18. The bar 78 is of resilientconstruction and has mounted thereon a nutll which is threaded on to athreaded part 80 formed at the rear end of the sleeve 56. When the brushis not in use, the brush and guard are adapted to be closed by means ofan elongated cap 8| which is threaded at its rear end on the threads 55.

In the use and operation of this device, the cap 8! is removed and theconnector 21 connected to a source of electric current supply. The brush12 may then be extended in the mouth and pressure on the brush '52 willcause the guard H to swing outwardly as shown in dotted lines in Figure2. When the brush i2 is extended into the mouth either or both of thebuttons or knobs 42 and 43 may be pressed inwardly, closing the electriccircuit to the motor H and causing the brush 12 to be rotated.

When it is desired to remove the motor H from the housing It), the brushshaft M is pulled outwardly disconnecting the shaft from the motor shaft29. The motor frame l9 may then movement relative to each other.

be released from the housing Ill by loosening fasremoved, the motor maybe lifted from the hous mg.

This invention will provide an improved rotary toothbrush for cleaningthe teeth which will provide a suitable guard for the gums or otherportions of the mouth in order that the rotating brush will not injuresuch parts. The guard 73 being resiliently supported will permit contactof the brush '52 with the desired teeth and at the same time protect theadjacent portions of the mouth from injury by the rotating brush.

As shown in Figure 6, the rear end of brush shaft ti which engages insocket 62 is squared off, as at 82, for engagement in a square socket 83formed in the adjacent end of motor shaft 29 so that the two shafts arethereby held against In this manner the clutch mamber 63 will berelieved of torsional strain and will serve only to hold the brush shaftagainst endwise movement.

The exact configuration illustrated is regarded as the optimum, but someof the desirable results inherent in this disclosure may be obtained byvarious slight modifications including some departure from the exactconfiguration shown, and it is therefore requested that the scope of theinvention should be regarded as limited only by the terms of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a pair of elongated casingsections, of which one is the container and the other the cover, thecontainer section being formed with a closure for both sections at oneend of the casing, while both sections complementally provide a closurefor the casing at its opposite end, the edges of the cover sectionshaving a mortised fit over the edges of the container section, tocompletely close the container section, diametrically oppositelyextending lugs formed upon the inner faces of said sections whenassembled, pointing towards the center of the casing, an electric motorhaving diametrically oppositely arranged lugs abutting the lugs of thesections, and screws tapped into the lugs of said sections as well asinto those of the motor to secure the motor concentrically inside of thecasing, such that upon removal of the screw from one section, the motorcan be removed together with the other section with the cover section,and whereby the presence of the motor inside of the casing serves tolock the two sections together,

2. In a device of the kind described, a motor casing of tubularformation and composed of two sections, one having a butt fit into theother and extending longitudinally therein, diametrically opposed lugsformed upon the inner surface of the sections of the casing, an electricmotor extending concentrically inside of the casing, a contact memberinsulatedly connected at one end of the casing upon one section, acontact member carried by one end of the motor engaging the othercontact member retractedly, and means for connecting the lugs of saidsections remova'bly to said motor adapted not only to support the motorin a closed casing but to hold the two sectionsin clamped closedrelation removably one from the other.

3.-In a device of the kind described, a motor casing, a motor supportedconcentrically therein and extending longitudinally therein, a pair ofdiametrically oppositely arranged push buttons carried by said casingmovable interiorly thereof, means guiding said push buttons in movement,resilient means in opposition to which said push buttons move, and apair of fixed and movable contacts arranged on said motor opposite toeach push button, the parts of each set of contacts being engageable byone of said push buttons selectively.

4. As a new article of manufacture an electrical motor, a cylindricalgrooved body carried by said motor, oppositely arranged spring metalstrips of semicylindrical formation, each of which consists of a arcuateportion formed at one end with contact bead, and at its opposite endwith an offset springy contact bead, the arcuate portions of said metalstrips being respectively secured to diametrically opposite sides of thecircular inner edge of the grooved body in such a manner that the fourbeads are substantially in diametrical alignment, the ofiset beads ofthe two strips being constrained to be located directly opposite andnormally separated WILLIAM G. ROBEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 621,236 Farmer Mar. 14, 18991,593,763 Henderson July 27, 1926 1,833,967 Groff, Jr Dec. 1, 19312,264,033 Youhouse Nov. 25, 1941 2,314,117 Beckner Mar. 16, 1943

